GEORGE ALBERT GOODRICH

George Albert Goodrich was born March 3, 1839 in Lunenburg, Massachusetts to Penelope Randall Gardner and Benjamin Franklin Goodrich.

When eleven years of age (1850) George left his old home to move west and joined the Wilford Woodruff's Company of Saints at Philadelphia. He and his parents were baptised by Elder Woodruff in the Platte River July 10, 1850.

Soon after their arrival in Utah George became conspicuous in frontier life. On the approach of Johnston's Army he was called into the Utah Militia and went with his company into Echo Canyon to prevent the army's entrance into Salt Lake City.

The militia was so poorly clad and the weather was so cold that sixteen men were badly frozen the first night out that they returned to the city for medical treatment, George, however remained with the troops until a compromise was affected. In 1862 he was called to a team back across the plains to assist in migrating the Saints. On his return, he again took up his work in the militia, was made a captain and became active in the "Black Hawk War".

In 1863 he was united in marriage with Eliza Ann Taggart, three years later he accepted the order of plural marriage and took to wife Eliza's sister, Harriet Taggart. Soon after the latter union he was called with his families to assist in colonizing the "Muddy" in Southern Utah. The ground was sandy and made growing anything unproductive.

On one occasion the men were obliged to leave their families to search for food. Crossing the desert they were threatened with death from thirst. So desperate did their condition become that upon killing a rabbit they shared it's blood to quench their thirst. They came to an old well that so badly caved in that no water could be seen, no one dared go down to dig for water owing to the uncertainty of the walls. Finally Mr Goodrich entered the well with the remark "I would rather die in the attempt to get water than to choke to death." He found water and with a tin cup dipped up sufficient to satisfy the wants of all the men and teams. He was in the well for more than two hours and after they were done when he got out the walls caved in.

He and another man cut enough lumber with a whip saw to complete an adobe meetinghouse. Scarcely had they finished their arduous task when it was determined by the state boundary survey that they were in Nevada. The taxes were so high they could not pay them so the state seized many of their horses and cattle and sold them for taxes.

Brigham Young sent them a release and leaving their hard earned meetinghouse and crops they moved to Morgan, Utah. George engaged in milling, first he operated a saw mill and later a flour mill. He served two terms as sheriff of Morgan County.

It was here he married his third wife, a school teacher, Miss Rhoda Slade. His three wives bore him thirty-two children, sixteen boys and as many girls.

George had honesty, charity, brotherly kindness and purity. He was a monument of strength and an example to all. His large posterity remains an honor to his name. His name can never die nor can he in generations to come be forgotten.

-George Albert Goodrich history written by Hazel Manwaring Hilbig as told to her by Harriet Maria Goodrich and Daughters of Utah Pioneers files.
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Geo. A. Goodrich- Vernal Express -24 Feb 1911

Geo. A. Goodrich who has suffered for several months from dropsy, passed peacefully away Sunday February 19.
The funeral services were held at the ward House on Tuesday, Elders Jas. M. Shaffer, Geo. A. and John N. Davis were the speakers. All of whom spoke of their long acquaintance with the deceased, and related many noble traits which characterized his life. The interment took place in the Vernal Cemetery.

Geo A. Goodrich was born in Lunenburg, Mass. March 3, 1839. His father, Benjamin Franklin Goodrich was the son of Levi,* who was a son of one of the sturdy welshmen who landed in America soon after the advent of the Mayflower.

When eleven years of age (1850) George left his old home for the far west. They fell in with Wilford Woodruff's company of Saints at Philadelphia-though the Goodrich family at that time were not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He and his parents were baptized by Elder Woodruff in the Platte River July 10, 1850.

Soon after their arrival in Utah George became conspicuous in frontier life. On the approach of Johnson's Army he was called into the Utah Militia and went with his company into Echo Canyon to prevent the army's entrance into Salt Lake City. The militia was so poorly clad and the weather was so severely cold that sixteen men were badly frozen the first night out that they returned to the city for medical treatment. George, however remained with the troops until a compromise was effected. In 1862 he was called to drive a team back across the plains to assist in immigrating the Saints. On his return he again took up his work in the militia, was made a captain and became active in the "Black Hawk War."

In 1863 he was united in marriage with Eliza Ann Taggart, three years later he accepted the order of plural marriage and took to wife Harriet Taggart. Soon after the latter union he was called with his families to assist in colonizing the "Muddy" in Southern Utah . In consequence of the barren and unproductive condition of the country in it's wild state they were soon ..(illegible). For weeks at a time all they had to eat was melon and bran bread. On one occasion the men were obliged to leave their families in the wilderness and go in search of food. Crossing the desert they were threatened with death from thirst. So desperate did their condition become that on killing a rabbit they shared it's blood to quench their thirst. They came to an old well so badly caved in that no water could be seen, no one dared go down to dig for water owing to the uncertainty of the walls. Finally Mr. Goodrich entered the well with the remark "I would rather die in the attempt to get water than to choke to death." He found water and with a tin cup dipped up sufficient to satisfy the wants of all the men and teams. He was in the well for more than two hours and shortly after he got out the walls all caved in.

He and one other man sawed enough lumber with a whip saw to complete an adobe meeting house. Scarcely had they completed their ardous task when it was determined by the state boundary survey that they were located in Nevada. The taxes became so high that they could not pay them and the State seized many of their horses and cattle and sold them for taxes.

Brigham Young sent them their release and they left their crops almost ready to harvest. Their hard earned meeting house barely finished, and came back as far as Orderville. The following season crops were planted there only to be destroyed by grasshoppers. It was necessary in order to obtain food to leave that county and in 1871 Mr. Goodrich and family settled in Morgan, Morgan Co. There he engaged in milling, first operating a saw mill and later a flour mill. He served two terms as sheriff of Morgan County. He here married a school teacher, Miss Rhoda Slade. His three wives bore to him thirty-two children, sixteen boys and as many girls. Until the death of his daughter, Mrs. Rhoda Roberts a few weeks ago there were still living eleven boys and eleven girls. Besides his children he leaves to mourn him his three wives and sixty-two grandchildren.

He remained true to his religion to the last. In virtues such as honesty, charity, brotherly kindness and purity he was a monument of strength and an example to all. His large posterity remains an honor to his name being among the pillars of strength in every ward where they reside. His name can never die nor can he in generations to come be forgotten.

Geo. A. Goodrich- Vernal Express -24 Feb 1911

* Check out the Goodrich Family Organization

wife #1: Eliza Ann Taggart
children: George Leonard Goodrich, Eliza Caroline Goodrich, Mary Augusta Goodrich, Lewis Henry "Lou" Goodrich, Harriet Penelope(Nell) Goodrich, Charles Sidney Goodrich, Rhoda May Goodrich, Esther Fidelia Goodrich, Abbie Viola Goodrich, Leslie Bruce Goodrich and Byron Goodrich.

wife#2: Harriet Maria Taggart
children: Benjamin Franklin Goodrich, Fanny Sophia Goodrich, Albert Gardner (Abe) Goodrich, Rachel Maria Goodrich, William Burrage Goodrich, Julia Louisa Goodrich, Hyrum Parks Goodrich, Wallace Goodrich, Parley Herbert Goodrich, Vilate Goodrich, Leona Goodrich, Lucy Goodrich,

wife#3: Rhoda Slade
children: Marian Augusta Goodrich, Ernest Leroy Goodrich, Amelia Eliza Goodrich, Gardner Lacy Goodrich, Alfred Slade Goodrich, John Goodrich, George Arthur Goodrich, Edith Goodrich and Ruth Goodrich.
∼Son of Benjamin Franklin Goodridge (1794-1859)
and Penelope Randolph Gardner (1790-1875)
Married Eliza Ann Taggart Nov 10 1862 in the Endowment House.
Married Harriet Maria Taggart May 5 1866 in the Endowment House.
Married Rhoda Slade Oct 9 1879 in the Endowment House.